This invention relates to an exercise harness for use by an individual when using an unweighting system. The invention has particular application when used in conjunction with a treadmill where a user is either walking or jogging or running on the treadmill at the same time being supported by an unweighting system.
The use of a body harness with unweighting systems is known. See U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,568 to Webb; U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,663 to Pettit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,175 to Shamp; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,560 to Svendsen et al. All of these patents show a waist belt for securing the harness to a user""s body. It has been found that when leg bands secured to the waist belt are used, that the user is better stabilized and that the waist belt will not ride up on the user""s waist as much when the user is exercising. U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,663 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,175 show leg bands connected to a waist belt for this additional stability.
A problem with these known harnesses incorporating a waist belt and leg bands is that the user has difficulty walking, jogging or running when using these harnesses connected to an unweighting system. The straps connecting the leg bands to the waist belt do not accommodate the different lengths between the waist belt and the leg bands when one leg is moved forward of the other.
A need exists for an exercise harness which can be used during therapy in conjunction with a treadmill and an unweighting system to allow a user to either walk, jog or run on the treadmill while being partially suspended by an unweighting system.
Another problem with existing exercise harnesses is that there are none available which can be used in therapy to correct gait problems which a patient may have. For example, a patient may have a gait with external rotation or internal rotation. Further, the patient may be bow-legged and have a varus gait, or the person may be knock-kneed and have a valgus gait. What is needed is an exercise harness which can be used to correct these gait problems during therapy sessions.
An exercise harness for use with an unweighting system having a pair of shoulder straps connecting the exercise harness the unweighting system. The exercise harness having a waist belt suspended by the shoulder straps. The belt is provided with a buckle for releasably securing the ends of the belt together. The exercise harness further includes a left leg band and a right leg band with the leg or knee bands being connected to the waist strap with a left front strap and a right front strap, respectively. A sliding strap is provided having one end buckled to the waist belt above a left leg band, and the free end threaded through a xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d-ring secured to the left leg band and through a xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d-ring secured to the waist belt at a medial position between the ends of the waist belt, and then through a xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d-ring secured to the right leg band and through a buckle secured to the waist belt above the right leg band.
The present exercise harness is also provided with a gait modification strap having one end secured to the waist belt and the other end secured to one of the leg bands after wrapping the gait strap partially around a leg of the user. The gait strap being used for correcting gait problems of a user.